Tassel



June 24'. 1924. 1,498,553

- G. H. KELLEY TASSEL Filed Jan. 12, 1923 fizwleuvi or:

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Patented dune 24, 192% GEQRG-E H. KELLEY, OF LOH ELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

TASSEL.

Application filed January 12, 1923. Serial No. 612,338.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. GEORGE H. KEI:.. EY, citizen of the United States of America. and resident of Lowell, in the county of liliddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tassels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tassels or pendants used for ornamentation, particularly to that type of tassels used for curtain pulls and the like. which comprise a top or head and a depending mass or tuft of fibers forming a plume.

Articles of this type as ordinarily constructed when put into use soon acquire an nnsightly appearance. The plume becomes thin and stringy. often with dangling, partly pulled out threads, or disappears entirely. This is due for the most part to a faulty construction of the plume and to insecure methods of fastening the plume to the head,

Objects of the invention are to provide an article of the class described which will retain its original shape and appearance, in which the individual fibers of the plume will be securely held against being pulled out. which will be superior in strength and durability to prior articles of this type. which can be manufactured and sold at a low price. and in general to improve prior articles and to avoid their defects.

The invention comprises a tassel in which the suspension cord and the plume are directly attached to each other and not through the intermediary of the top or head as in prior devices. The top or head of the tassel encloses the upper portion of the plume and conceals the attachment of the cord thereto. The mass of fibers forming the plume is preferably looped and means adjacent the looped portion to which the cord is attached. hold the fibers in juxtaposed parellelism, the individual fibers being thereby prevented from being pulled out. The above mentioned means may be in the form of a clamping ring. preferably of smaller diameter than the plume opening in the cap to permit, the plume to be drawn into the cap by means of the suspension cord. A spreader is embedded in the mass of fibers, preferably adjacent the plume opening of the cap, to secure the desired appearance with a relatively small mass of fibers.

F or the purpose of illustration one concrete embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a tassel or curtain pull embodying the features of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged View similar to Fig. 1 showing certain parts in section;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figure l is an elevational view illustrative of the manner of applying the clamping ring.

The embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises a tassel or curtain pull of conventional appearance having a plume A in the form of a mass of fibers. a suspension cord B secured to the plume and an ornamental cap or head C of sheet metal, celluloid or other suitable material, concealing the attachment of the suspension cord and the plume.

As indicated in Fig. 2 the plume A comprises an elongate mass of fibers looped at D intermediate their length to dispose the ends of the fibers in parallelism. The suspension cord B is fastened to the mass of fibers at the loop D in any suitable manner as by means of a loop end I) on the cord passed around the fibers. the cord B being then passed through the loop 6 and drawn taut. djacent the attachment of the cord to the plume and within the ornamental cap or head C. a confining member E, such as a metal ring. encircles the parallelly disposed ends of the mass of fibers. To hold the individual fibers of the plume A; outside the cap C in extended position to improve the appearance of the tassel, a spreader member I having a circular head 7 is embedded within the mass of fibers, a shank f being secured to or integral, wit-h the head and having rounded spiral projections or threads 7 whereby the spreader may be threaded up into the looped mass D to retain the spreader head 7 in proper position. If desired, an enlargement f may be provided upon the shank f of the spreader t0 wedge into or against the retaining member or ring more securely to retain the individual fibers of the plume from being pulled out in ordinary use.

In assembling the tassel the suspension cord B is fastened about the elongated mass of fibers at substantially the center thereof into parallelism. The clamping then applied, one way of apply 4 ring being indicated in Fig. l, wheein is shown two dies 5 and 6, the lower die 6 havin a base 7 and a projection having a socket 8 into which the metal strip 9 to form thering E is placed. Upon this strip, the mass of fibers is placed and the upper 5 having recess 10 therein complemental to the projection on die 6 is forced downwardly, the shape of the recess 10 be ing such as to round the ends of the metal strip 9 over upon the plume mass A until the strip 9 forms a circular ring thereover smaller in diameter than the plume openings c in cup C, The dies 5 and 6 may be interchanged with the die 5 below and the die 6 above the stock and indeed this reversal oiiers advantages in automatically feeding: the stock to the dies. The suspension cord l3 is then threaded through the small openinn" 0 in the cap and the upper end of the plume A. drawn by means of the suspension cord B through the plume og ieniurg 0 within the cap. The fibers of the plume A are then spread apart and the shank 7 of spreader F is passed through the ring E and threaded up into the loop D within the cap C until theenlargement f is adjacent the clamping ring E, thus disposing the spreader head 7 in position to hold the fibers of the plume in extended position as illustrated in Fig. 2.

A preferred method of assembly com-- prises interlooping two cords B with the opposite ends respectively of a loop or skein, then pressing rings 9 around each end of the skein as above described and finally cutting the skein intermediate the ends, thereby forming two tassels.

reason of the method of attaching the cord B to the looped mass of fibers forming the plume together with the clamping ring E adjacent thereto. the individual fibers of the plume effectively held against being pulled out. This hold or grip upon the individual fibers of the plume is increased when spreader with an enlargement is plOVlflQtl since the enlargement wedges the fibers in the plume opening 0 ol the cap and also against and within the clamping ring E. It 'will be further apparent that the spreader is effective in maintaining); the original appearance of the tassel and that by the use of the spreader member F, it is possible to use a much smaller mass of fibers than heretofore without in any manner detracting from the appearance of the tassel.

" 8 a hollow cap. the form oi a looped mass or .s issuiifrom an opening in said can. a suspension cord issuing from another op-ning in said cap, said cord being cured to the looped portion of the plume ad a clamyfing ring encircling the plume adjacent the looped portion thereof to pre- 'l individual fibers from being pulled out said ring being of a size to permit tl e looped end of the plume to be pu led cap by means of said cord.

u. A. s1 reader adapted to be embedded in the p ume of a tassel to retain the phu'i'ic in spreat position comprising; a

Milt-TF4 head and a shank having; rounded spiral threads thereon to engage the massed fibers of the plume in the tassel top, said shank having an enlargement intermediate its length to serve as a wedge or expander within the top.

t. A tassel including a mass of interdiutel y looped fibers. a cord. havino" a 'ht at its end, the cord being ..,l around the loop of fibers and threaded through the bight to connect the cord and fixcrs. means clamping the fibers together at a point adj acent the loop, and a cap mem- 1 er embracing the loop cord, and clamping me ns: a. A

including a of fibers, means clampingly securing the mass ether near one end thereof. a cap over-h"- said end. and having a reduced ne -l: embrac ng the fibers, at a point spaced the w ping means. and a combinespreader and locking device inserted with in the fibers and. having an enlargement exp-aim ng the fibers intermediate the re dtced neck and the clamping mean whereby said enlargement accentuates the action of the clamping; means while resisting withdrawal of the fibers through the reduced neck.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, tLis third day of January 1923.

GEORGE KELLEY. 

